Puerto Vallarta is getting a makeover, including an official LGBTQ “friendly zone”

Traveling to Puerto Vallarta in 2026? You will probably encounter construction zones everywhere from the airport to the city center, as various government agencies are pouring billions of pesos (millions of US dollar) into expansion and infrastructure improvement projects throughout the city.

Among these improvements is freshening up the Zona Romantica, the historic district with streets filled with gay-centric bars, hotels, and shops. With this facelift, the city is also, finally, giving the area an official designation as a Distrito LGBTQ+ Amigable, or LGBTQ+ Friendly District.

This designation is a pretty big deal for Puerto Vallarta, and Mexico overall. No other city in Mexico has an area that is officially recognized by its government as an LGBTQ cultural center. Mexico City, the (fantastic and gorgeous) capitol of the country, does have a city-wide designation as “Ciudad Amigable con la población LGBTTTI,” or an LGBTTTI friendly city, with those letters representing lesbiana, gay, bisexual, transgénero, transexual, travesti, and intersexual.

Officially designating this “friendly zone” is more than just propaganda. City leaders are directed to consult with local residents in Zona Romantica about how infrastructure improvements are made, which helps preserve the cultural integrity of the area. This means those lucrative gay-themed businesses should benefit from these infrastructure projects, rather than erasing the vibe of the neighborhood.

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This is also a baby step forward towards dealing with problematic anti-gay situations that still exist within Puerto Vallarta. Most notably, the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center, one of the most prominent event spaces in the city, has a well-documented history of refusing same-sex couples to hold weddings on their property. This seems shocking in a city like Puerto Vallarta, which is known world-wide as an LGBTQ travel destination, particularly for gay men who contribute lots of pesos to the local economy.

Beyond the gay tourist presence, Mexico’s federal constitution does prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, and the state government of Jalisco (where Puerto Vallarta is located) has similar laws. Sheraton is part of the Marriott brand, and Marriott executives have publicly and unequivocally denounced theseanti-gay choices made by Sheraton Buganvilias’ management. However, the Sheraton Buganvilias is run by longstanding local families with extensive political connections and large bank accounts, and nobody has confronted the hotel on a legal basis, yet. By formally recognizing the LGBTQ (or LGBTTTI) community’s presence in the Zona Romantica, it creates a path for the city government to further protect the residents and visitors of the “friendly zone.”

Besides fixing up the Zona Romantica, Puerto Vallarta is receiving over 9 billion pesos (over $500 million US) to expand the city’s airport, as well as 40 million pesos ($2 million US) to rehab Isla Cuale, the market featuring local merchants and artisans.

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Major hotel in Puerto Vallarta accused of refusing gay couple’s wedding
UPDATE 12/13/2019: In a previous update, GayCities stated Rimer was going to have “the wedding of the year” after receiving an apology from Marriott’s public relations team. Rimer told GayCities that he did receive that apology, from Marriott International executives, and he felt it was sincere. However, he has not heard from anyone at the […]

Major hotel in Puerto Vallarta accused of refusing gay couple’s wedding
UPDATE 12/13/2019: In a previous update, GayCities stated Rimer was going to have “the wedding of the year” after receiving an apology from Marriott’s public relations team. Rimer told GayCities that he did receive that apology, from Marriott International executives, and he felt it was sincere. However, he has not heard from anyone at the […]

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